The variuos groups of tribes in the remote regions of Afghanistan owe allegiance to warlords who are the de facto governors of these areas. The central government in Kabul has no choice but to accept their influence in all local affairs. Each Warlord has a following of a few hundreds to several thousands of fighters.
The Taliban’s continuance as a major force depends on the loyalty of groups of fighters who in turn bear loyalty to the scores of Warlords.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former prime minister of Afghanistan, is a leader of the powerful Pashtun tribe. When the USA invaded Afghanistan in September 2001, he opposed the invasion. He repeatedly warned America and Pakistan of Jihad but never openly formed alliance with the Taliban or the al-Qaeda, though he praised anyone who fought the American coalition.
Hekmatyar, who is still in the hiding, has said that negotiations are the only solution to the Afghan problem. He can go for a dialogue with the Afghan president Hamid Karzai if a halt to the fighting is brought about and a conducive environment is created, he has said.
Clearly, a viable solution to the Afghan problem lies in winning the support of the warlords who have been leading autonomous groups in different parts of the country. This will severely erode the base of the Taliban and pave the way to lasting peace.
